mason



(No Model.) @Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

SCS

Patented Deo. 4, 1883.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W; MASON.

MAGAZINE PIRE ARM.

Patented Deo. 4, Y1883.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

No. 289,676. Patented Deo. 4, 1883.

IyimmnM (No Model.) 4 Sheets- Sheet 4.

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE FIRE ARM. No.289,676. Patented Deo. 4, 1883.

Nrrnn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MASON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE VINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MAGAZINE` FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,676, dated December 4, 1883.

' Application filed September 10, 1883.` (No model.)

` To all whoml it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM Mason, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Magazine Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exa-ct description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1,a sectional side view showing the parts in their closed or normal position; Fig. 2, a sectional side view showing the, parts in their extreme open position; Fig. 3, a sectional side view showing the parts in a partially-opened position. and for illustration of the invention; Figs. 4 and 5, horizontal sections of the receiver, showing top views of the carrier, respectively, in its up and down position 5 Fig. 6, a vertical section on line m :vof Fig. l; Fig. 7, a vertical section on line y yof Fig. l; Fig. 8, a top view of firing-pin and lever, looking down, to illustrate the operation in retracting the firing-pin; Fig. 9, a sectional view at the rear end of the barrel, looking toward the front face of the breech-piece; Fig.- 10, the ring-pin detached in perspective; Fig. 11, the ejector detached in perspective.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of magazine re-arms in which the breech-piece is arranged to move backward and forward in an axial line with the barrel toopen and close the breech, the breech-piece operatedby means of a lever below, and in which a carrier is hung in the receiver at the rear, so that its forward end, receiving a cartridge from the magazine, is-raised as the breechlever, whereby that part of the lever above the connection with the link and the link itself form the locking-strut to resist recoil of the breech-piece; also, in a carrier hung at the rear for both longitudinal and up-and-down vibratory movement, whereby the longitudinal movement willperxnit it to grasp the cartridge received from the magazine, and then by its upward movement present it to a position between the open breech-piece and the barrel, and then'return open from its grasping position to receive the next cartridge from the magazine, and in details of construction, as hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claims. v

A is the receiver, within which the operative mechanism of the arm is arranged B, the barrel, attached to the forward end of the re, ceiver 'in the usualmanner; C, the magazine, arranged beneath the barrel, both the barrel and the magazine opening at the rear into the receiver in the usual manner, the receiver also constructed for attachment tothe stock in the usual manner.

D isthe breech-piece, arranged in axial line with the barrel, and so as to be moved in said line from and toward the barrel, as from the positionin Fig. l to that in Fig. 2 and return, guided in such movement by 'ribs E on its side, working in corresponding longitudinal grooves, F, in the receiver. i

G is the trigger-guard lever, and which also serves as the lever for operating the breechpiece. This lever extends upward through an opening in the bottom of the receiver, and is pivoted to the breech-piece, as at c.

H is a link, one end hung by a pivot, Z1, to the lever G below its connection with the breech-piece, the other end of the link hung upon a pivot, d, transversely through the re-` ceiver,l and so that when' the breech-piece is in the closed position, as seen in Fig. 1, the

' three pivots c, b, and d, are in line, or nearly so, and whereby the thrust or resistance of the breech-piece is transferred through the upper arm of the lever and link t'o the pivot d. To open the breech-piece, the lever is turned downward in the usual manner of operating this class of levers; but instead of turning lupon its own fixed pivot, as in the usual construction, the link H turns upon the iixed pivot, bringing its pivot b downward as the breech-piece moves backward, until it arrives to lthe fully-open position, as seen in Fig. 2, the

` movement .ofthe link H being governed by the movement of the end of the lever attached to the breech-piece, that end moving in astraight line with the breech-piece instead of in the are of a circle, as that end must do when hung upon a fixed pivot, as in the usual construction. Thus hanging the lever by a link to a Xed pivot permits aiirm connection of the lever with the breech-piece, and without the play necessary in the usual construction.

I is the hammer, hung in the usual manner upon its pivot e, and so as'to stand with its nose in rear of the breech-piece when the breechpiece is in its closed position; hence when the breech-piece is opened, as before described, the hammer is thrown backward to the position of full-cock, and when it has arrived at the position of full-cock the breech-piece escapes from and passes over the hammer, as seen in Fig. 2, the breech-piece having a longitndinal groove or recess, L, upon its under side to permit it thus Vto pass over.

M is the ring-pin, arranged longitudinally through the breech-piece, and guided therein for longitudinal movement, its forward end or nose, j', projecting, under the pressure of the hammer, forward of the front face of the breechpiece, as seen in Fig. 1, so as to strike the primer in the head of the cartridge. Near the forward end of the ring-pin is a shoulder, h, which lies in a recess, i, in the forward end of the lever G. This recess z' forms a shoulder, Z, as seen in Fig. 8. When the parts are in their normal condition, as seen in Fig. 1, this shoulder on the lever is so far forward that the firing-pin may reach its extreme forward position; but vas' the lever G is turned in opening the breech-piece, the cam-like shoulderl on the lever engages the shoulder h on the ring-pin and retracts that pin, as seen in Fig. 2. To engage the firing-pin in this retracted position, so that when the breech piece is moved forward the nose of the firing-pin cannot come into contact with the primer until all the parts are in thev proper condition for firing, a latch, K, is hung in the breech-piece upon apivot, m, and below a recess, n, in the ring-pin, and so that as the breech-piece reaches its extrem-e rearposition, as seen in Fig. 2, the latch K comes in contact with the nose of the hammer I, and so as to turn the noseof the latch up inte a position infront of the rear end of the slot n in the firing-pin, and thus lock the firing-pin it its withdrawn or retracted position. Then when the breech-piece is thrown forward to the position seen in Fig. 1, a shoulder, r, above the pivot I) ofthe leverG strikes an arm, s, on the latch forward of its pivot, and so as to turn the ynose of the latch down out of engagement with the firing-pin, and so that the ring-pin may be forced forward by the hammer, as seen `in Fig. 1. On the upper side of 'the breech-piece the extractor N is fitted, and secured bya pin, t, transverselyr through the breech-piece and extractor. The forward end, u, projects and is of the usual hook shape, so as to engage the ange of the cartridge, the elasticity of the extractor' permitting it to ride over the ange on the cartridge as the breech-piece vis brought to its closed position. An arm, w, extends from the extractor to the rear, and so as to bear upon a cam-like projection, 2, on the latch K, as seen in Fig. 1. The arm w is also elastic, and serves as a spring to act upon the latch K, and so that when the latch is thrown up into engagement with 'the firingpin, as seen in Fig. 2, the arm w of the extractor bears upon the projection 2, serving to hold it in its engaged position until, in the forward movement of the breech-piece, the latch is returned into the position seen in Fig. 1, as before described. Thus the extractor-piece serves the double purpose of extractor and a spring vfor the latch K, and as the arm w is thrown upward on closing the breech-piece it adds an increased power to the extractor, serving to more firmly engage the extractor with the flange of the cartridge than the extractor would do of its own individual elasticity, and then when the breech-piece is opened, as seen in Fig. 2, and the arm 1b depressed, the additional power of the extractor is relaxed to facilitate the ejection of the cartridge.

P is the ejector, arranged in the breech-piece parallel with the firing-pin, its forward end substantially surrounding the firing-pin, as seen in Fig. 9. The rear end of the ejector, when the parts are in their normal condition, as seen in Fig. 1, stands forward of the cam-like projection 2 on the latch K, and as the breechpiece is thrown backward it retains substantially'the same relation to the latch until the breech-piece approaches its rear position, as seen in Fig. 3, the normal position ofthe forward end ofthe extractor being flush with the front face ofthe breech-piece, as seen in Figs. 1 and In eompletingthe rear movement ofthe breechpiece, and as the latch is turned int-o its position of locking the firing-pin, as seen in Fig. 2, the projection 2 on'the latch strikes the rear end of the ejector and forces it forward to drive its forward end out beyond the front face of the breech-piece, as seen in Fig. 2, and which movement of the ejector is imparted to the cartridge-shell to throw itfroin its engagement with the breech-piece. Then as the latch is turned, as before descreibed, the ejector recedes into its normal position, as seen in Fig. 1.

R is the carrier. Its rear end is constructed IOO IIO

with a slot, 3, and through which slot the so as to permit its contraction `and expansion, as from the position seen in Fig. 4 to that seen in Fig. 5. The two parts 5 of the forward end/of the carrier are recessed upon their inner faces, as seen in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, corresponding, substantially, to more than half the circumference of the cartridge-shell. The sides of the carrier from the hub forward are elastic, so as to permit them to be contracted or expanded, 4as before described, the expansion being automatic and produced bythe elasticity of the sides. On the outer side of the two parts of the carrier is a projection, 6,and upon the inner sides of the receiver is a recess, 7, in which these projections standwhen in their normal position, as seen in Fig. l. v The rear edge of these recesses dinally and vertically,

is inclined backward, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5,

and thel rear edge of the projection 6 should be also inclined, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The upper part of the lever G, as before described,

v works through the-carrier between its two seen in broken lines,

sides. As the lever app roaches its extreme rear position, as seen in Fig. 3, the lever strikes a shoulder, 8, on tbe carrier above its pivot e. The rst effect of thus striking the shoulder 8 is to give to the carrier a rear movement and bring it into the position seen Ain Fig. 3, the slot 3 permitting such rear movement. In such rear movement the projections 6 on the outer sides of the carrier ride from the recesses 7 in the receiver onto theinner surface of the receiver, as frbm the position seen in Fig. 4to that seen in Fig. 5, which causes the two parts 5 of the forward end of the carrier to approach each other, Aasv seen in Fig. 5. Thus when the forward end of the slot 3 is brought into contact with its pivot e, the final movement of the lever 4G from the position seen in Fig. 3 to that seen in Fig. 2 will turn the carrier up from the position seen in Fig. 3 to that seen in Fig. 2, the-projections 6 riding upon the inner surface of the receiver, so as to be retained in their contracted position. Then when the breech-piece is returned, as before describehthe forward edge of the lever strikes a shoulder, 9, on the carrier, the first action of which is to force the carrier forward, as

Fig. 2, until the projections 6 enter an upward extension, 10, from the recess 7 in the carrier, which permits the two sides of the carrier to separate, as seen in Fig. 4, and then the continued movement of the lever forces the carrier intoits down position, as seen in Fig. l, and leaves it in its open position, as seen in Figs. 4 and 6.

The operation of the arm is as follows: The parts standing in the normal position, as seen in Fig. l, the magazine charged in the usual manner, may be through an opening, 11, on the right-hand side or otherwise, the rear cartridge stands with its head against the 4downward projection 12, on the breech-piece, as seen in broken lines. Then, as the breech-piece is opened, the rear cartridge in the magazine follows the breech-piece in its rear movement until it arrives at its proper position on the carrier, as seen in Fig. 3. Then the continued movement of the lever G and breech-piece, as before described, raises the carrier, and presents the cartridge in its position between the front face of the breech-piece and the rear end of the barrel, as seen in broken lines,-Fig. 2. The first rear movement of the carrier closes the two sides of the carrier upon the cartridge, so as to prevent the cartridge b eing thrown out of position by the quick ascent of the carrier, but yet so as to .permit the cartridge to be forced forward through the carrier.l Then as the carrier is forced forward it opens, so as to permit it to drop and escape from its cartridge in its descent. Then, as the breech-piece 4completes its closing movement, the extractorl engages the flange ofthe cartridge, and so that, either before or after firing, when the breechpiece is again withdrawn the discharged shell orl cartridge, as the case may be, will be withdrawn, with the breech-piece held by the extractor ,against the shoulder 13 below, until the ejector comes in contact with the projection 2 on the latch, as before described. Then the continued rear movement of the breech piece gives, substantially, a quick forward movement to the ejector into the position seen in Fig. 2, which will force the shell forward, the upper end of the flange held by the extractor, so that the forward end will be turned up, the quick movement of the ejector 4serving to throw it up through the opening in` the receiver in the usual manner for ejecting cartridge-shells.

I have represented the hammer as serving to turn the latch K up into its position of locking the firing-pin; but it will be readily seen that any obstruction inthe path of the latch will turn it into that locking position. This arrangement of latch for locking the flring-pin may be employed with other mechanisms for operating the breech-piece.

The breech-piece and its operative mechanism may be employed with other vibratin g carriers-that is, the carrier may be hung upon the pivot without longitudinal movement, 0r without the grasping effect upon the cart-ridge.

While the recess 10, to permit the opening of the carrier, is desirable, it may be omitted, the closing of the carrier by the passage of the roj ection G fromthe recesses being only to an extent that will produce sufficient friction upon the cartridge to prevent its being thrown upward as the carrier rises. Then, as the carrier descends, the projections will enter the recesses 7, and there expand for the free passage of the next cartridge from the magazine onto the carrier. l

Instead of making the recesses in the receiver and the projections on the carrier, it will be readily seen that this order may be reversed-that is, the recesses formed in the carrier, and projections in the receiver. I wish to' be understood, therefore, as embracing this reversed order of construction as an equivafv IOC IIO

lent for that hereinbefore described and hereinafter claimed.

While I prefer to operate the carrier by means of the lever, as described,`V the .downward projection 12 from the breech-piece may operate between the shoulders 8 and 9, substantially as does the lever, it only being necessary in so doing that the shoulder shall beto the breech-piece, and with a link connected to the lever and to the receiver, whereby the turning down of the lever will draw back the breech-piece, the upper end of the lever following the breech-piece; but in such construc-` tions the link performs no'other ofice than that of aiding in the opening and closing movement of the breech-piece. It in noway sustains the breech-piece against recoil, the lever only performing'this office and independent of the link-connection, whereas in my invention the link and lever are hung in such relation to each other and to the breech-piece that they together form the strut to support the breechpiece against recoil.

I claim- A .1. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of a c arrier, the breech-piece arranged to Imove longitudinally in the receiver, the triggerguard lever G, its upper end hung to the breech-piece above the carrier, and the link H, its one end hung upon a pivot in a receiver below the carrier, its other endv hinged to the lever G, substantially as described, and whereby said lever and link form a strut for the support of the breech-piece from a point above the carrier to a point below the carrier, substantially as described.

2. In a nre-arm, the combination of a longitudinally guided and movable breech-piece, the firing-pin arranged longitudinally in said breech piece, mechanism, substantiallysuch as described, to impart to said breech-piece lengitudinal movement and tothe ring-pin arear or retracting movement, and a latch, K, hung in said breech-piece independent of the mechanism which imparts the said longitudinal and retracting movement, and arranged to engage said firing-pin in its retracted position and release it as the breech-piece is closed, substantially as described. v

3. In a fire-arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech piece, the firing-pin arrangedl longitudinally through said breech-piece, mechanism, substantially such as described, for imparting to said breech-piece longitudinal movement and to said firing-pin a rear or retracting movement, the latch K, hung in said breech-piece, and the extractor N, having an arm, rw, extending therefrom, and arranged to serve as a. spring upon s aid latch, substantially as described. f

4. In a lire-arm, the combination of a longitudinally-movable breech-piece, a firing-pin arranged longitudinally through said breechpiece, mechanism, substantially such as described, for imparting longitudinal movement to said breech-piece and retracting movement to said firing-pin, the ejector P, also arranged longitudinally in said breech-piece, and the latch K, hung Iin said breech-piece, and arranged to engage the firing-pin in its retracted position and to force said ejector forward as.

the breech-piece completes its rear movement, substantially as described.

5. In a magazine-iire-arm, the combination of a longitudinally-movable breech-piece, and mechanism, substantially such as described, .for imparting thereto a longitudinal movement, the carrier hung at the rear to permit both longitudinal and vibratory movement of the carrier, mechanism, substantially such as described, for imparting longitudinal and vibratory movement to the carrier, the carrier divided vertically at its forward end, its two sides elastic, each side carrying an outward projection, 6, and the receiver constructed with a recess, 7 ,whereby the rear longitudinal movement imparted to the carrier will cause the two sides of the carrier to approach each other before it commences its ascent, substantially as described.

6.` In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of a longitudinally-movable breech-piece, and

mechanism, substantially such as described, for imparting longitudinal movement thereto,

a carrier hung at the rear to permit both longitudinal and vibratory movement, mechan IOO ism, substantially such as described, to impart both longitudinal and vibratory movement thereto, the carrier'divided vertically at its forward end, its two sides elastic,-each side carrying an outward projection,f6, the receiver constructed with a recess, 7, whereby the rear longitudinal movement imparted to the'carrier will cause the two sides of the carrier toapproach each other before it commences its ascent, and agrecess, l0, ici con'- nection with said recess 7, and into which recess 10 the forward movement of the carrier will bring the projection 6 before the carrier commences-its descent, substantially as described.

Z. The combination of a longitudinally movable and guided breech-piece, D, the lever G, its upper end hung to the breech-piece, the link H, one end hung upon a pivot in the receiver,`the other end hung to said lever, a carrier, R, hung upon a pivot in rear of said lever, the said lever extending upward through IIO said carrier, and the carrier constructed with l a shoulder, 8, at the-rear of the lever, and lshoulder 9 forward of the lever, whereby the opening movement of the le/ver will raise the carrier and the forward movement depress it, substantially as described. t

8. The combination ofthe longitudinallymovable breech-piece D, the lever G, its upper end hungto the breech-piece, the link H,

one end hung upon a pivot in the receiver, uponitssides, and the recess7 inthesidesofthe the other end hung to the lever, the carrier receiver,with anextension, 10, therefrom, sub- 1o R, constructed with a longitudinal slot, 3, at stantially as described.

its rear through which its pivot passes and v A 5 divided vertically at its forward end, its two WILLIAM MASON sides elastic, and also constructed with a shoul- Witnesses: der, 8, in rear of and a shoulder, 9, forward of DANIEL H. VEADER,

said lever, and with an outward projection, 6, LEE H. DANIELS; 

